~ an irreverent look at UK politics

Open letter from quadriplegic to Osborne: how is taking £120 a month from me going to get me back to work?

This open letter to George Osborne was posted on Facebook. Please feel free to share:

I don’t usually do this sort of thing, but I am so downright disgusted I feel the need to say something. Please feel free to share this post, in the vain hope that somebody who can make a difference might get to see it.

Dear Mr Osborne, I am intrigued by your methods and incentives to get disabled people back to work. I have been a quadriplegic for a last 13 years of my life. Let me give you a brief description of what this entails. I have to employ a team of four carers as there is practically nothing I can do for myself. A few of these things I can’t do include going to the toilet as I need someone to stimulate my bowels digitally, holding and having any kind of sexual relationship with my wife, playing with or indulging in any physical activity with my two sons, getting out of bed or going to bed without the aid of carers, dressing myself, picking up anything as my hands do not work, feeding myself, drinking by myself, scratching any itches on my face which is the only part of my body that I have any sensation.

I am writing this using a speech recognition program as I cannot use a computer keyboard properly. If you have any sense at all you will realise that I am wheelchair-bound and to be quite honest the list of what I can’t do is so endless that there’s not much point in me continuing to expand any further. Suffice to say that all I am really capable of is seeing (through glasses that have to be put on and removed for me) hearing (using hearing aids that have to be inserted and removed for me) swallowing food (which has to be fed to me by someone else) and that’s about it. Can you explain to me and the myriad others that find themselves in my position, sometimes worse, how decreasing my disability benefit by £120 a month is an incentive for me to get back to work. Perhaps you could outline for me what sort of work people in my condition would be capable of?

I was refused PIP on the grounds that I am articulate and intelligent – which apparently negates my disabilities and chronic health issues. I’m taking it to tribunal and Simon Burns is about to wish he’d never messed with me concerning broken promises. I grew up around politics; I know when I’m being bullshitted.

My anger has been reflected on my blog!
My anger with the people of this country is so deep that I can’t say or write anything anymore – I’m sick and tired of letting it be known how much the people have failed this country

Unfortunately I don’t think he’ll get anywhere. This government have no conscience and really don’t care how they affect people as long as they and their rich mates are ok. If they cared at all they wouldn’t inflict these draconian measures on the poorest in society.

FUELLED BY NEWSPAPERS WHO THINK WE SHOULD GROVEL AND TUG FORLOCKS FOR HARVEY PROCTOR AND BASTARDS LIKE BRAMALL AND SOAMES WHO WANT US TO KNOW OUR PLACE AS SERFS AND THANK THE TOP PEOPLE FOR OUR POVERTY

Brave fellow and I salute him, he has more courage and depth of character than the whole of the Tory cabinet put together.
With regard to Jay’s enquiry. Anyone who is moved from ESA on to UC or who has to re-apply every two years will automatically lose their original ESA so no, people already on ESA will lose their money as each renewal counts as a new claim.

I am on ESA but I am on appeal rate at the moment I have had to fight to get my pip back and at the moment I still have my pip I have mental health problems,a disc trapping a nerve in the bottom of my back and my knees goes in and I have two fractured shoulder blades so I cannot do any heavy lifting at all I am on up to five tablets a day how can taking £120 PCM out of my money will help me get back into work

I think you’re ok if you’re in the Support Group (which this person should be and should continue to be). Isn’t it people in the WRAG, who will be subject to this cut? Which is still crap, as losing money will only cause hardship, not incentive. Plus,some in the WRAG should really be in the Support Group.

The whole attitude of the Tories is to divide our society into classes, and abilities, that will turn against each other rather than support the others.
Already the disabled have been isolated, and other groups are looking at us as scroungers and benefit cheats. On the contrary most disabled people that I know would be happy to work – IF they could – as their existence is dire. It is not the one long, fun, paid holiday that politicians seem to suggest.

I just hope everyone who’s not applied for PIP, because they didn’t want to draw attention to themselves, or honestly didn’t desperately need the extra money, now does so, because they’ll be so much worse off.

Perhaps a few hundred thousand PIP claims all hammering home might make some noise.

If my ESA is cut, I’ll certainly be putting a claim in, as I’ve been told I should qualify, but feel bad about taking what I don’t need from the pot while others have it worse, however, drop me to seventy quid a week and I will have to.

We have a so called prime minister.whos own late son was disabled.yet at the end of the day has got his ministers to dismantle benefits for the sick…
That says it all..
You tell me what parent wouldn’t be fighting tooth and nails for all disabilities if they have had first hand experience…
No the man is a blatant lier and so are all the con ministers.. as they and their backers are rich they don’t give a dam about anyone else …..

Disgusting so angry this government is destroying the most vulnerable. How the hell does Osborne live with himself. Stop sending all this money abroad then you won’t need to crucify the most vulnerable people in this country. Your not fit nor Cameron to look after the people of this country.

Polititions need to wake up and face reality. The people of Great Britain are sick of handouts to foreign countries. Sick of having to bale out Banks and large corporations, investment cronies of government wastrels. Our money should be invested in our people and our country. Europe needs Britain. Britain does not need Europe. The people of this Britain have had enough of greedy polititions constantly telling us to cut back on our spending yet go full speed ahead themselves borrowing and spending without a care for future generations. My granchildren deserve better leadership. They deserve a better Britain. A time will come when a leader will replace the Tory/Labour/Bnp rabble and take back Britain for the people.